Saturday, 2 February 2013

Crown and Crumpet, San Francisco

During my trip to San Francisco last year, I discovered an adorable tea place called Crown and Crumpet. Located inside the grand Ghirardelli Square, near Fisherman’s Wharf, this cute little tea salon instantly transports you to England, where tea is accompanied with scones and bite-sized treats.

The teas
A well-stocked menu, they serve a wide variety of teas such as black, green, oolong, white, herbal and even fruity flavours, but the most intriguing part are the names the teas hold. There’s the Marie Antoinette with its unique description that reads ‘Rumour has it this was Marie Antoinette’s favorite. Let this relaxing blend of bergamot, blue mallow and roses be the perfect tea for eating cake!’, and the Alice’s “Drink Me” Tea described as ‘Perhaps the perfect tea for an Un-Birthday. This black tea from China—beautifully blended with champagne and teeny tiny sugar crystals —won’t make you shrink!’. But for me the most shock-inspiring name was Swamp Water! Its description states ‘Don’t be put off by the name! An amazingly tasty Rooibos and fruit tea with pineapple, mango and passion fruit. Tropical with a sweet finish.’. Well, it certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted.

If you’re not a purist, try the Crownberry, a blend of white and black teas with the delicate flavours of pomegranates, raspberries and rose petals, or the Lychee Oolong imported from China or the Raspberry Ginger.

The decor
With pink, white and blue shades prominently splattered around, the decor is dotted with antique mirrors, little curios, paintings, illustrations, cartoons, toys, flower-print seats for couches and chairs, a cute little fake fireplace, tea trays, polka dot lamp shades, a chandelier, antique lamps and tall jars with candies and marshmallows to allure the kids. The attention to detail in completing the English experience is impeccable. Even the magazine rack has copies of Vogue and Conde Nast Traveller’s UK edition and not the US ones, as would be expected.

The food
Aside from mini sandwiches and scone that are served with strawberry jam and cream, the food menu soups, rolls, pies and a variety of cheese to choose from. I certainly recommend the scones, they are really yummy!

So, whether you love tea or not, Crown and Crumpet is a must-visit if you’re in San Francisco.

Please note: Crown and Crumpet recently moved from Ghirardelli Square. For more details about their new location, click here.